Shoe Attachment for Propping Hand Trucks

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a shoe attachment and a method of use thereof. The shoe attachment allows a hand truck user to retrieve the hand truck more easily and efficiently after unloading boxes. The device comprises a metal plate with a hook and a pair of slots. The metal plate is to be positioned upon and strapped to the boot with the support of a belt with a buckle. In strapping the metal plate to the boot, the belt traverses through both of the slots on the plate and attaches to itself via the buckle. During use, the hook of the metal plate forms a secure connection between the top of the foot and the bottom rung of the hand truck. Upon engagement, the user may then retrieve the hand truck with a strong pull. The present invention is applicable to any wheeler with a bottom rung.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a shoe attachment and a method of use thereof that allows the wearer better control in using hand trucks, two wheelers, stack trucks, and dollies to load and unload objects such as boxes. Specifically, the present invention allows the user to retrieve a hand truck or a wheeler with more ease after unloading boxes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A hand truck is an L-shaped box-moving hand cart with handles at one end, wheels at the base, and a small ledge whereupon boxes situate. The hand truck is flat against the floor when the hand truck is upright. During use, the objects to be moved are tilted forward while the ledge is inserted underneath the objects. Subsequently, the objects are allowed to tilt back and rest upon the ledge. Then, the hand truck and the objects are tilted backward until the overall weight of the objects is balanced over the wheels of the hand truck.

The present invention is a metal plate attached to the shoe of the wearer with the support of a belt, which serves as a strap. The present invention aids the user in retrieving the hand truck from underneath the boxes with more ease and efficiency after unloading. The technique is done in the opposite way when the boxes are loaded onto the hand truck. Instead of curling up the toes or the front of the foot, the present invention hooks onto the bottom rung of the hand truck and gives a secure connection between the foot and the hand truck. The engagement of the present invention to the bottom rung allows for a stronger pull and thus a quicker retrieval of the hand truck. Furthermore, the secure engagement between the present invention and the bottom rung of the hand truck allows the wearer to avoid slippage and accidents. Conclusively, the present invention allows the user to retrieve the hand truck with less effort while providing protection for the foot and the shoe of the user.

In utilizing the present invention, the metal plate is mounted upon the lacing of the boot. The present invention may be attached to various types of boots such as work boots and hiking boots. In being attached to a boot, the plate of the invention is strapped to the tongue of the boot by the belt. The belt traverses through the plate of the invention around the back of the ankle and straps the plate securely to the boot. Once secured to the boot, the hook of the present invention is engaged to the bottom bar of any hand truck to make retrieval of the hand truck easier when unloading boxes. The present invention is designed to be utilized with any hand truck or wheeler.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the metal plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a back perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a shoe attachment comprising a metal plate 1 and a belt 7. The present invention also comprises a method of use thereof. The metal plate 1 can be composed of any durably malleable metal sheet. Particularly, the metal plate 1 comprises a leverage portion 101, a support portion 102, and a brace portion 103. The leverage portion 101 allows the metal plate 1 to apply a pulling force on the bottom rung of a hand truck. The support portion 102 is used to properly situate the metal plate 1 against the user's boot. The brace portion 103 is used to secure the metal plate 1 onto the user's boot. As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the leverage portion 101 is connected adjacently to the support portion 102 at a first obtuse angle. In addition, the brace portion 103 is connected adjacently to the support portion 102 at a second obtuse angle and opposite to the leverage portion 101. This configuration of the leverage portion 101, the support portion 102, and the brace portion 103 allows the metal plate 1 to ergonomically fit onto the user's boot. The leverage portion 101, the support portion 102, and the brace portion 103 are small rectangular metal plates with a horizontal length and a vertical length. The leverage portion 101 and the support portion 102 are connected to each other in a manner wherein the full horizontal length of the leverage portion 101 is connected directly to the full horizontal length of the support portion 102. Likewise, the support portion 102 and the brace portion 103 are connected to each other in a manner wherein the full horizontal length of the support portion 102 is connected directly to the full horizontal length of the brace portion 103. Specifically, the leverage portion 101, the support portion 102, and the brace portion 103 have identical long horizontal lengths.

A plurality of belt slots 5 is centrally positioned on the brace portion 103 along the horizontal length thereof. Specifically, the plurality of belt slots 5 is centrally traversing through the brace portion 103. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of belt slots 5 comprises a first belt slot and a second belt slot as shown from FIG. 1 to FIG. 4. More specifically, the plurality of belt slots 5 is collinearly positioned along the horizontal length of the brace portion 103. Furthermore, the plurality of belt slots 5 is positioned equidistant from each other. An erect tab 4 is positioned opposite to the plurality of belt slots 5 along the vertical length of the metal plate 1. In addition, the erect tab 4 is connected adjacently to the leverage portion 101 opposite to the brace portion 103. The erect tab 4 serves as a hook to securely connect the shoe of the wearer to the bottom rung of the hand truck. More specifically, the erect tab 4 is connected perpendicularly to the leverage portion 101. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the erect tab 4 is adjoined perpendicularly to a lateral edge of the leverage portion 101. The lateral edge of the leverage portion 101 is located along the horizontal length of the leverage portion 101. Therefore, the erect tab 4 is angled at 90 degrees from the surface of the leverage portion 101. In addition, the erect tab 4 is positioned centrally along the horizontal length of the leverage portion 101. In addition to the erect tab 4, the metal plate 1 comprises a plurality of fillets 6. Each of the plurality of fillets 6 is positioned at each corner of the metal plate 1. The addition of the plurality of fillets 6 to the metal plate 1 eliminates sharp corners and lessens the risk of injuries during usage of the present invention. Specifically, each of the plurality of fillets 6 is a curved surface junction situated at each corner of the metal plate 1.

The present invention also comprises the belt 7, which serves as a strap that attaches the metal plate 1 to the boot of the user. Specifically, the belt 7 straps the metal plate 1 upon the lacing of the boot with the erect tab 4 situated toward the toe cap of the boot, and the plurality of belt slots 5 situated toward the tongue of the boot. The metal plate 1 is attached to the lacing of the boot due to the belt 7 traversing through the metal plate 1 and thus strapping the metal plate 1 to the lacing of the boot in the process. Specifically, the belt 7 traverses through the brace portion 103 of the metal plate 1 as shown from FIG. 1 to FIG. 4. More specifically, the belt 7 traverses sequentially through the plurality of belt slots 5. The belt 7 comprises a belt strap 8, a plurality of belt holes 15, a belt buckle 10, and a belt strap ring 13. Because the belt 7 traverses sequentially through the plurality of belt slots 5, the belt strap 8 also traverses sequentially through the plurality of belt slots 5 in a similar manner. The belt strap 8 comprises a first end 9 and a second end 14. During use, the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 is attached to the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 around the width of the boot. The belt strap 8 may be made of any durably extensible material. Connected to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 is the belt buckle 10, which is comprised of a belt frame 11 and a belt prong 12. The first end 9 of the belt strap 8 traverses through the belt frame 11, wraps over a belt bar of the belt frame 11, and reattaches to the belt strap 8 via a fastener or a plurality of stitches. Positioned centrally upon the belt bar is the belt prong 12. Specifically, the belt prong 12 traverses centrally through the first end 9 and the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 in a manner wherein the belt prong 12 stops the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 from traversing further through the belt frame 11 so the metal plate 1 may be securely attached to the boot within the appropriate circumference formed by the belt strap 8. Generally, the first end 9 is attached to the second end 14 via the belt prong 12 and the plurality of belt holes 15. In traversing through the belt strap 8, the belt prong 12 also traverses through any of the plurality of belt holes 15, which is located collinearly along the second end 14 of the belt strap 8. Specifically, the plurality of belt holes 15 is positioned equidistant from each other at predetermined distance along the second end 14. Furthermore, the plurality of belt holes 15 also traverses through the second end 14 of the belt strap 8. The plurality of belt holes 15 allows the belt 7 and the metal plate 1 to be appropriately strapped around any boot width. Specifically, the addition of the plurality of belt holes 15 to the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 allows the circumference of the belt strap 8 around the boot to be adjustable.

After traversing through the belt frame 11 and being traversed by the belt prong 12, the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 also traverses through the belt strap ring 13 as shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the belt strap ring 13 is a ring encircling the width of the belt strap 8. The belt strap ring 13 may be composed of the same material as the belt strap 8 or any durably flexible material. As illustrated, the belt strap ring 13 is connected to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 and the belt strap 8 itself. Specifically, the belt strap ring 13 is attached to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 and the belt strap 8 itself by a ring fastener. The ring fastener traverses through the belt strap ring 13, the first end 9 of the belt strap 8, and the belt strap 8 itself. In the aforementioned manner, the ring fastener not only attaches the belt strap ring 13 to the belt strap 8 but also attaches the first end 9 to the belt strap 8 itself. In other embodiments of the present invention, the belt strap ring 13 may not be attached to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8, but the belt strap ring 13 may be attached directly to the belt strap 8, further down the belt strap 8, and away from the loop formed by the first end 9 of the belt strap 8.

The present invention also comprises the method of use thereof. The method of use is initiated by the user inserting a belt 7 through either a first belt slot or a second belt slot of a plurality of belt slots 5 located upon a metal plate 1. Since the belt 7 is comprised a belt strap 8 with a first end 9 and a second end 14, the user inserts the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 through either the first belt slot or the second belt slot. Subsequently, the user bends the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 and inserts the second end 14 through either the first belt slot or the second belt slot in such a manner wherein the belt strap 8 traverses sequentially through the plurality of belt slots 5. Then, the user positions the metal plate 1 upon a plurality of laces of a boot with an erect tab 4 positioned toward a toe cap of the boot and the plurality of belt slots 5 positioned toward a top part of the boot. Specifically, the erect tab 4 is slid under a first shoe lace available on the boot while the metal plate 1 is strapped to the plurality of laces of the boot by the belt 7. After traversing the belt strap 8 through both the first belt slot and the second belt slot in a sequential manner, the belt strap 8 is positioned around a width of the boot. Particularly, the belt strap 8 is positioned around the width of the boot in a manner wherein the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 is attached to the second end 14 of the belt strap 8 in a circular configuration. The second end 14 of the belt strap 8 is attached to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8 by the traversal of a belt prong 12 through the second end 14.

Specifically, the belt prong 12 is connected to a belt frame 11, which is connected to the first end 9 of the belt strap 8. More specifically, the belt prong 12 traverses centrally through each of a plurality of belt holes 15 located along the second end 14 of the belt strap 8.

The present invention is used in conjunction with a hand truck or any two wheeler with a bottom bar. A hand truck is an L-shaped box-moving hand cart with handles at one end, wheels at the base, and a small ledge whereupon boxes situate. The hand truck is flat against the floor when the hand truck is upright. During use, the objects to be moved are tilted forward while the ledge is inserted underneath the objects. Subsequently, the objects are allowed to tilt back and rest upon the ledge. Then, the hand truck and the objects are tilted backward until the overall weight of the objects is balanced over the wheels of the hand truck.

With the metal plate 1 strapped to the boot of the user by the belt 7, the user may retrieve the hand truck from underneath the boxes with more ease and efficiency. Instead of curling up the toes or the front of the foot, the erect tab 4 of the metal plate 1 hooks onto the bottom rung of the hand truck and gives a secure engagement between the foot and the hand truck. The engagement of the erect tab 4 to the bottom rung allows for a stronger pull and thus a quicker retrieval of the hand truck. Furthermore, the secure engagement between the metal plate 1 and the bottom rung of the hand truck allows the wearer to avoid slippage and accidents in retrieving the hand truck. Conclusively, the present invention allows the user to retrieve the hand truck with less effort while providing protection for the foot and the footwear of the user. The present invention may be attached to various types of footwear with above ankle protection including boots and high top shoes. Boots may include work boots and hiking boots.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe attachment comprises, a metal plate; a belt; the metal plate comprises a leverage portion, a support portion, a brace portion, an erect tab, and a plurality of belt slots; the belt comprises a belt strap, a plurality of belt holes, a belt buckle, and a belt strap ring; the belt strap comprising a first end and a second end; the belt buckle comprises a belt frame and a belt prong; the first end being attached to the second end; and the belt traversing through the metal plate.
 2. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 1 comprises, the leverage portion being connected adjacently to the support portion at a first obtuse angle; the erect tab being connected adjacently to the leverage portion opposite to the support portion; the erect tab being connected perpendicularly to the leverage portion; the brace portion being connected adjacently to the support portion at a second obtuse angle and opposite to the leverage portion;
 3. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 2 comprises, the plurality of belt slots being collinearly positioned upon the brace portion; the plurality of belt slots being centrally positioned upon the brace portion; the plurality of belt slots being equidistant from each other; and the plurality of belt slots traversing through the brace portion.
 4. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 2 comprises, the erect tab being centrally positioned along the leverage portion; and the erect tab being positioned opposite to the plurality of belt slots.
 5. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 2 comprises, the first end being attached to the second end via the belt prong; and the first end being attached to the second end via the plurality of belt holes.
 6. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 1 comprises, the belt traversing through the brace portion; the belt traversing sequentially through the plurality of belt slots; and the belt strap traversing sequentially through the plurality of belt slots.
 7. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 1 comprises, the belt buckle being connected to the first end; and the belt strap ring being connected to the first end.
 8. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 7 comprises, the belt frame being connected to the first end; and the belt prong being connected to the first end.
 9. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 1 comprises, the plurality of belt holes being positioned along the second end; the plurality of belt holes being positioned equidistant from each other; and the plurality of belt holes traversing through the second end.
 10. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal plate comprises a plurality of fillets wherein each of the plurality of fillets is located at each corner of the metal plate.
 11. A method of utilizing a shoe attachment comprises the steps of: a) positioning a metal plate upon a plurality of laces of a boot with an erect tab of the metal plate facing a toe cap of the boot and a brace portion of the metal plate facing a top part of the boot; b) traversing a belt strap sequentially through the plurality of belt slots; and c) attaching a first end of the belt strap to a second end of the belt strap by positioning the belt strap around a width of the boot while keeping the metal plate securely positioned upon the laces of the boot.
 12. The method of utilizing the shoe attachment as claimed in claim 11, wherein step (c) includes traversing a belt prong located on the first end of the belt strap through each of a plurality of belt holes located on the second end of the belt strap.
 13. A shoe attachment comprises, a metal plate; a belt; the metal plate comprises a leverage portion, a support portion, a brace portion, an erect tab, and a plurality of belt slots; the belt comprises a belt strap, a plurality of belt holes, a belt buckle, and a belt strap ring; the belt strap comprising a first end and a second end; the belt buckle comprises a belt frame and a belt prong; the first end being attached to the second end; the belt traversing through the metal plate; the leverage portion being connected adjacently to the support portion at a first obtuse angle; the erect tab being connected adjacently to the leverage portion opposite to the support portion; the erect tab being connected perpendicularly to the leverage portion; the brace portion being connected adjacently to the support portion at a second obtuse angle and opposite to the leverage portion; the plurality of belt slots being collinearly positioned upon the brace portion; the plurality of belt slots being centrally positioned upon the brace portion; the plurality of belt slots being equidistant from each other; the plurality of belt slots traversing through the brace portion; the erect tab being centrally positioned along the leverage portion; the erect tab being positioned opposite to the plurality of belt slots; the first end being attached to the second end via the belt prong; and the first end being attached to the second end via the plurality of belt holes.
 14. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 13 comprises, the belt traversing through the brace portion; the belt traversing sequentially through the plurality of belt slots; and the belt strap traversing sequentially through the plurality of belt slots.
 15. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 13 comprises, the belt buckle being connected to the first end; and the belt strap ring being connected to the first end.
 16. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 15 comprises, the belt frame being connected to the first end; and the belt prong being connected to the first end.
 17. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 13 comprises, the plurality of belt holes being positioned along the second end; the plurality of belt holes being positioned equidistant from each other; and the plurality of belt holes traversing through the second end.
 18. The shoe attachment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the metal plate comprises a plurality of fillets wherein each of the plurality of fillets is located at each corner of the metal plate. 